2016 Legislative Package

AB 33: Requires the California Public Utilities Commission to work with the Energy Commission to evaluate the potential costs and benefits of long duration bulk energy storage as a tool to help integrate renewable energy into the electric system.

AB 51: Clarifies that the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has the authority to develop guidelines surrounding safe lane splitting practices. Requires the (CHP) to work with the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Office of Traffic Safety, and advocates in the development of the guidelines.

AB 655: Extends the sunset date for the Transporters of Inedible Kitchen Grease Program, and increases the transporters’ minimum enforcement fee from $300 to $350 per vehicle.

AB 1785: Updates the distracted driving law regarding the use of electronic devices while driving. Specifically prohibits the holding and operating of an electronic device while driving.

AB 1901: Prohibits the collection of unaffixed cigarette tax stamps to protect the evasion of taxes.

AB 1919: Allows a local transportation authority to use accrued interest and premiums received on the sale of a bond to be used for transportation projects.

AB 2161: Allows an insurer to consider the installation of vehicle barriers as a safety measure for purposes of providing, or offering, a discount on the property owner’s commercial property insurance. Additionally, this bill requires any such discounts to be determined to be actuarially sound and approved by the Insurance Commissioner prior to their use.

AB 2505: Bans the use of gas chambers to kill dogs and cats by eliminating a loophole that allowed for the use of carbon monoxide to kill these animals.

AB 2570: Improves the administration of the wireless California Lifeline Program by requiring the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to adopt a rule regarding an enrollment freeze, including allowing a period of time where an enrollee can terminate lifeline service without penalty. Lastly, the CPUC must also consider putting requirements in place that would enable the lifeline program administrator to provide more information in real time to providers about the enrollment status of potential subscribers.

AB 2800: Establishes a working group composed of state professional engineers and climate scientists to develop recommendations for integrating climate change impacts into state infrastructure design and construction.

AB 1778: Requires all employees at a college and university campus receive training on responding to, and reporting incidents of, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking involving students.

AB 2089: Requires election officials to notify voters if their voting ballot was not counted, and the reason it was not counted.

2016 Legislative Package

AB 33: Energy Storage. Requires the California Public Utilities Commission to open a proceeding to assess what role large scale energy storage could play, if any, in securing a diverse portfolio of energy resources.

AB 51: Lane Splitting. Clarifies ambiguity on the legality of lane-splitting by specifying that lane-splitting is allowed as long as certain conditions are met.

AB 655: Rendering: Sustainable Recycling. Extends the sunset date for the Transporters of Inedible Kitchen Grease program, and increases the transporters’ minimum enforcement fee from $300 to $350 per vehicle.

AB 909: Rape Kit Tracking Requires local law enforcement agencies to track and report the number of rape kits they collect, how many they test and how many go untested. For untested rape kits, law enforcement agencies will be required to document the reason for not submitting the kit to be tested and submit this information by July1 of each year. Also requires the DOJ to submit an annual report to the appropriate legislative committees beginning January 1, 2017.

AB 1013: Energy Efficiency Modeling Software. Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to do the following: (1) routinely adjust and update its public domain software that models energy usage, and (2) make consumers aware of potential differences between the model and their actual energy use patterns.

AB 1778: College Campuses: Sexual Violence Training. Requires that all employees at a college campus receive training on responding to and reporting incidents of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking involving students. Also prescribes that in order for the college to receive state funds for financial aid they must meet this mandate.

AB 1785: Modernize Distracted Driving. Updates the distracted driving law regarding the use of electronic devices while driving by clarifying what it means to “use” an electronic device behind the wheel. Specifies that inputting information into a device is both distracting to drivers and a violation of the law.

AB 1820: Drone Regulation. Regulates law enforcement’s use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) by requiring law enforcement agencies to develop policies on the use of UAS that cover a range of topics. Additionally, specifies the conditions under a warrant must be attained prior to the use of a UAS.

AB 2130: Expanding California Broadband Access. Changes the bidding process for telephone companies to receive grants from the California Advanced Services Fund by making the process more competitive and agnostic of the technology used to deliver broadband service.

AB 2161: Vehicle Barriers. Provides awareness of storefront crashes and encourage the use of vehicle barriers and devices in building design by having the California Building Standards Commission consider standards for such devices to be included in the building code. Additionally, authorizes an insurer to consider these vehicle barriers as a safety measure eligible for discounted building insurance rates.

AB 2379: Evaluating Home Energy Efficiency. Requires the California Energy Commission’s biennial Integrated Energy Policy Report to include a comparison of the projected and actual energy efficiency savings under the Home Energy Rating System.